State officials say Kate Corbett said she has a chemistry degree from Merrimack College, though investigators determined that her degree is in sociology. Although she took some chemistry coursework, she did not earn a degree in chemistry.

Corbett worked in the same lab as Annie Dookhan, who was sentenced to prison after admitting to faking test results. Corbett has not been accused of tampering with evidence.

The president of a state employees union tells The Boston Globe that Corbett is "highly competent" and is challenging her termination.

Defense lawyers say if she testified in court cases that she had a chemistry degree, it opens the door to legal challenges.